November 7, 2001
Thelen Named Zuidema Award Winner -
DeYoung and Knoester named to All-MIAA 2nd Team
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Calvin College senior goaltender Matt Thelen has been named
the receipient of the MIAA's Dr. Marv Zuidema award in men's soccer. The
Zuidema Award was announced today as part of the release of the All-MIAA men's
soccer team. The Zuidema award was presented for the first time in 1999 in honor
of Dr. Marvin Zuidema, longtime men's soccer coach and athletic administrator at
Calvin College. The recipient is to be a senior selected for his contributions
to team play, leadership qualities, demonstration of ethical virtues and
excellence in athletics and academics. A four-year starter in goal for the
Calvin men's soccer team, Thelen is the first player from Calvin to be so
honored. Thelen hails from Grand Haven and is a graduate of Grand Haven High
School. This fall, he posted a goals-against-average of 1.23 while collecting
79 saves. Over the course of his four-year career, Thelen recorded 44 victories
in goal, placing him third on the all-time Calvin list for goaltender victories.
A mechanical engineering major, Thelen carries a 3.2 grade point average and
will enlist in the U.S. Navy after graduating this spring.
In addition, Thelen received honorable mention recognition from the MIAA coaches
for his play this fall as did Calvin freshman Joel Vande Kopple. Vande Kopple
is from Grand Rapids and is a graduate of Grand Rapids Christian High School. A
combination midfielder/defensive back, Vande Kopple scored three goals and
picked up two assists this year for the Knights.
A pair of Calvin players were also selected to the All-MIAA 2nd team as senior
defensive back Peter Knoester and sophomore forward Sam DeYoung were 2nd team
honorees. Knoester is from Grand Rapids and is a graduate of Grand Rapids
Christian High School. A four-year starter on defense, Knoester scored two
goals and picked up four assists for the Knights this fall. DeYoung hails from
Spring Lake and is a graduate of Western Michigan Christian High School.
DeYoung stepped into a starter's role at forward this season and responded with
four goals and five assists to finish second on the Calvin squad in scoring with
13 points.
As a team, Calvin finished with an 11-6-2 overall record and finished third in
the final MIAA standings with an 8-4 league mark. Since the MIAA began men's
soccer in 1970, Calvin has recorded a won-loss record of 247-66-29 for a winning
percentage of .764. Since its first year of varsity play in 1959, Calvin has an
overall won-loss record of 402-215-57 for a winning percentage of .635. This
fall, Calvin joined Michigan State University as the only collegiate programs in
the state of Michigan to reach the 400-win plateau in overall in men's soccer.
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